RELEVANT - Issue 92 - March/April 2018

Page 24

02/09

CURRENT

[S T. S C R O O G E ]

Christians Donate Less Than Other Religions CHRISTIANITY MAY BE THE UNITED STATES’ BIGGEST RELIGION, but when it

Fun fact: She’s the most followed person on Instagram.

Evangelist Selena Gomez? FOR SOMEONE WHO’S JUST 25, Selena

experienced Him firsthand. “You are

Gomez has quite the resumé: She’s a

already being pursued by God who knit

platinum-selling pop star, reluctant tabloid

you together and called you His, but you

fixture (which constantly speculate about

still don’t know that this can be more than

her romantic life), mental health advocate

a nightly prayer,” she wrote, encouraging

and now a speaker at church events.

the audience to seek a deeper relationship

Recently, Gomez was a guest at the

with God. “You don’t know that this will

Hillsong Conference in L.A., where

become the most important relationship,

she took the stage and got emotional

but just wait. Selena, you are enough!

while reading a letter she’d written to

Not because you’ve tried hard … You are

her younger self that documented her

enough because you are a child of God

life-changing encounter with faith. She

who has been pursued from the very

told those in attendance that for years,

beginning. You are enough because His

she knew about God, but never actually

grace has saved you and covered you.”

comes to actually donating to religious institutions, Christians fall way behind both their Jewish and Muslim neighbors. A Pollfish. com survey found that, on average, Jews donated $1,442 annually to religious groups and Muslims gave $1,309. Christians, however, gave just $817 to Christian charities and churches. The number is especially surprising considering most churches consider tithing—giving 10 percent of your income to a church or charity—a biblical mandate.

AVERAGE ANNUAL CHARITABLE DONATIONS BY FOLLOWERS JEWS

M U S LIMS

CHRISTIANS

$1,442 $1,309 $817

MISC.

MAR-APR

For his 81st birthday, Pope Francis

A Bentley University study reported

Cardi B recently secured five top

celebrated with a 13-foot pizza.

77 percent of millennials agreed

10 songs on the Billboard Hot R&B/

He shared it with sick children at

they’d be more productive under

Hip-Hop chart within the same week.

the Pediatric Dispensary of Santa

flexible working hours. Probably

That’s the most ever simultaneous

Marta. Papa John wasn’t invited.

explains your boss’s long lunches.

top 10 hits for a woman.

022

2018


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